Beef Casserole with Cheese and Enchilada Sauce

Ingredients:

Enchilada sauce:

• 1 tbsp. l. olive oil
• 0.5 cup chopped onion
• Table salt
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 0.5 tsp fresh chopped thyme
• 1 clove of minced garlic
• 3/4 cup beef broth
• 1 (800 g) can of pureed canned tomatoes

Meat filling:

• 2 tbsp. l. olive oil
• 0.5 cup chopped onion
• 0.5 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
• 0.5 cup finely chopped yellow bell pepper
• Table salt
• 2 crushed cloves of garlic
• 700 g of ground beef
• 1/4 cup beef broth
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1 packet of Spanish seasoning
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1.5 cups coarsely grated cheddar cheese
• 1.5 cups grated on a coarse grater Monterey Jack cheese
• 18 corn tortillas (15 cm each)

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. For the sauce: Heat the butter in a frying pan over medium heat, then add the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the tomato paste and increase the heat slightly to allow it to brown. Cook until the paste has a richer color, then add the cumin, thyme, and garlic. Stir the mixture and cook for a while. Then pour in the beef broth and pureed tomatoes. Increase the heat until the mixture comes to a boil, then reduce the heat and let the sauce simmer for 20 minutes, covered. (The sauce can be stored in the refrigerator.)
3. For the meat filling: In a large, straight-edged skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add the onion, green pepper, and yellow bell pepper. Add the garlic and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the ground beef, broth, cumin, onion powder, thyme, tomatoes, and Spanish seasoning, stirring occasionally. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper (Spanish seasoning contains salt, so be careful not to over-salt the dish). Stir and flake the ground beef with a spoon or fork. Cook until the meat is cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. (The meat filling can be stored in the freezer.)
4. To prepare the casserole: Mix the two types of grated cheese together and set aside. Pour 1/2 cup of red sauce into a 12-inch baking dish, then spread it evenly to cover the bottom. Arrange 6 corn tortillas, overlapping them to ensure the bottom is completely covered. Then arrange half of the meat filling and 1/2 cup of grated cheese, spreading the mixture evenly. Then arrange 6 more tortillas and pour tomato sauce over them. Next, arrange the remaining ground meat along with the remaining 1/2 cup of grated cheese, covering the mixture with 6 more corn tortillas. Pour the remaining red sauce on top, spreading it evenly, then sprinkle with grated cheese. Place the dish on a baking sheet and cook until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes. If you took the dish out of the refrigerator, add another 15 to 20 minutes to the cooking time. Cover the casserole with foil if it starts to burn too quickly. Serve hot.